Quick Thoughts On Ohio State's Victory Over Minnesota

On a day that is being dubbed "Upset Saturday", I believe Ohio State fans should be content with the victory over Minnesota today 34-21. While I am happy with the win, I am somewhat disappointed with the manner in which Ohio State took its collective team foot off Minnesota's throat late in the game to allow them to score two touchdowns.

Yes, I know a win's a win, and Ohio State won the game. At this moment, Ohio State is undefeated in Big Ten play, which is better than Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, and surprisingly Wisconsin are tonight. All I can suggest is Ohio State look no further than Wisconsin, who were crushing Michigan at the half 19-0 and lost 27-25 in Ann Arbor.

Something to consider - with the manner in which Alabama is presently embarassing Georgia (31-3 as I write this), is it fair to say that now Georgia has been eliminated from national title consideration? After all, Ohio State lost 35-3 on the road to USC and actually scored its 3 points at the beginning of the game. Georgia is at home and just scored a field goal.

Right now, I would bet Oklahoma and Alabama would be the top two teams in the polls. Looking at Alabama's schedule, they could be undefeated going into a game at LSU on Nov 8th. Oklahoma's next big game is on Oct 11th against Texas.

Down Goes Florida To Ole Miss 31-30

The other night after Oregon State defeated USC, Scott Bruno and I surmised that the national championship could be Florida and Oklahoma. While it's still a possibility, Florida just lost at home 31-30 to unranked Ole Miss. It just goes to show that anything can happen on any given Saturday.

I will write up my thoughts on Ohio State's victory over Minnesota later. Right now, I am watching the Wisconsin/Michgan game to get an idea on what Ohio State will be facing next week up in Camp Randall Stadium.

USC Loses To Oregon State

Props to Scott Bruno. Scott and I watched the game together. Prior to the game, Scott predicted that USC would lose at some point this season while I did not see it happening. I do not believe either of us thought that USC would lose to Oregon State.

What does that mean for the BCS? Right now, Oklahoma is ranked #2 and Georgia #3. The Oklahoma/TCU game this weekend will bear watching this weekend; Oklahoma lost at home to TCU in 2005 17-10. And Georgia gets to play Alabama on Sat night on ESPN at 7:45PM EST. It sure seems as though the craziness of college football is just getting started.

Predictions for some of this weekend's games:
Wisconsin should roll Michigan
I like Penn State over Illinois
Michigan State to crush Indiana
Auburn over Tennessee
I like Georgia over Alabama

It should make for a great football weekend. Go Bucks!

Game Five: Ohio State vs Minnesota

Game Five: Minnesota Golden Gophers

Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH)

Head Coach: Tim Brewster

Minnesota Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: OL DJ Burris attended Ohio State's football camps while in high school, but was not offered a scholarship by Ohio State.

Minnesota Rushing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: Minnesota's rushing attack has been limited due to injuries sustained by RB Duane Bennett. Unlike the years under former coach Glen Mason, Minnesota does not have power backs such as Lawrence Maroney, Marion Barber, or Gary Russell on its roster. Minnesota will use a running back by committee approach, similar to what Ohio State has done with Chris Wells' injury status. Minnesota's rushing offense comes into this game ranked 8th in The Big Ten; Ohio State's rushing defense comes in ranked 5th. It will be important for Ohio State's linebackers to shut down Minnesota's rushing attack. Slight Edge: Ohio State.

Minnesota Passing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: QB Adam Weber is arguably one of the most underrated players in The Big Ten. Weber currently ranks 2nd in The Big Ten in passing efficiency and 3rd in total offense. Weber's primary target is WR Eric Decker, who leads The Big Ten in pass receptions (32) and has already scored 4 touchdowns this season. I believe CB Malcolm Jenkins will be tasked with blanketing Decker. Minnesota has only given up 6 sacks this season. If Ohio State cannot get adequate pressure on Adam Weber, who is fairly mobile, it could lead to a frustrating day for the Ohio State defense. Slight Edge: Minnesota.

Ohio State Rushing Offense vs Minnesota Defense: The news that RB Chris Wells will return for Ohio State in this game has been understandably well-received by Ohio State fans. The reality is Wells will play, but I highly doubt that Coach Tressel will give Wells his customary 20+ carries when a big game against Wisconsin is on the horizon. I would look for RB Daniel "Boom" Herron to carry the ball the majority of the game, with QB Terrelle Pryor also involved in the rushing game on planned QB keepers and option plays. Minnesota currently ranks 9th in The Big Ten in rushing defense, so I look for Ohio State to control this game on the ground. Edge: Ohio State.

Ohio State Passing Offense vs Minnesota Defense: QB Terrelle Pryor threw four touchdown passes last week against Troy. With Pryor's mobility, Ohio State has the flexibility to spread teams out in the passing game, forcing teams to play Ohio State's wideouts one on one. Considering Minnesota ranks last in The Big Ten in pass defense, I look for the possibility of big plays from Ohio State's wideouts. I will be curious to see if WR Ray Small gets more playing time in this game, or if he is still myseriously in Coach Tressel's doghouse for some undisclosed reason. Big Edge: Ohio State.

Special Teams: This could be an interesting area to watch between these two teams. Ohio State's kickoff coverage currently ranks as the best in The Big Ten, while Minnesota is ranked 3rd. Ohio State is currently ranked 3rd in punt returns; Minnesota 4th. Ohio State is ranked 2nd in punting; Minnesota 5th. Minnesota is 3rd in kickoff returns; Ohio State is last in The Big Ten in this category. Edge: Even.

Intangibles: Minnesota truly has an opportunistic defense, with a +11 turnover margin. While Minnesota ranks 3rd in The Big Ten in scoring offense, one needs to keep in mind that Minnesota has played Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, Montana State, and Florida Atlantic. While I am a frequent critic of Ohio State's non-conference schedule, Ohio State's schedule looks much more demanding by comparison to whom Minnesota has played. Edge: Ohio State.

Prediction: Ohio State has looked lethargic in its games this season so far, but Coach Tressel has supposedly been in his players' faces this week to play faster and with more intensity. I believe this is a good barometer game for Ohio State. Considering Ohio State has defeated Minnesota 44-0 in 2006 and 30-7 last year, one has to wonder if Minnesota's players truly believe they can play with Ohio State. I look for Ohio State to control the clock by running the ball as much as possible, and win this one by the beginning of the 4th quarter. I will predict Ohio State 35, Minnesota 14.

Even With A 28-10 Victory Over Troy, Questions Remain About Buckeyes

While I am happy that Ohio State defeated Troy 28-10, I would be remiss if I did not make some critical as well as positive observations about the current status of Ohio State football. Perhaps some of you will agree with me on the below points, perhaps some will disagree. Feel free to post back your comments as you deem appropriate:

1. Brian Robiskie is not 100% ~ I realize Robiskie sustained an injury during fall camp, but it seems to me as though he has not fully recovered. The one pass down the middle of the field early in the game from Terrelle Pryor when Brian Robiskie seemed to give up on the play (highly uncharacteristic of Brian Robiskie) that could have been a touchdown makes me think his shoulder is still bothering him, and that Robiskie cannot fully extend himself as he normally would. Yes, I realize that Robiskie caught a touchdown pass late in the game, but again, Robiskie does not seem 100%. Why not rest Brian Robiskie and play Taurian Washington, DeVier Posey, and Lamaar Thomas more? Even better from an Ohio State offensive perspective, both Posey and Thomas have much better speed than Robiskie and would certainly open up the deeper passing routes for Terrelle Pryor better than Brian Robiskie can even if he is healthy.
2. Brandon Saine is also not 100% ~ For a player who holds the Ohio high school record for the 100 meters, Saine certainly does not appear to have tremendous acceleration. I do not know if the hamstring injury is still bothering Saine, but again, it makes me wonder if he is 100% healthy.
3. Why is Ray Small not playing? ~ Small is the only Ohio State wide receiver with both experience and speed. Small is a major reason why Ohio State did not suffer a loss to Ohio University two weeks ago, and yet Brian Hartline and Brian Robiskie were back fielding punts against Troy. Small only played one play, on a meaningless reverse play late in the game. Is he in Coach Tressel's doghouse again?
4. The defensive line needs to get better in a hurry ~ If Ohio State's defensive line cannot apply pressure on Troy, what do you think will happen when they play other spread offenses such as Purdue, Penn State, Northwestern, Illinois, and Michigan?
5. The offense still lacks a sense of urgency ~ Yes, I am happy that Terrelle Pryor threw four touchdown passes today. Yes, Pryor's mobility is an added dimension that opposing defensive coordinators will need to prepare for when they play Ohio State. But am I the only Ohio State fan who felt that Ohio State's offensive units had kind of a "ho-hum" attitude when the game was 14-10 going into the 4th quarter? The collective attitude of Ohio State's offense this season seems to be content when the running game struggles, passes are dropped, and the offensive drives stall out.
6. Jermale Hines should be singled out for his intensity ~ Yes, Hines will make some mistakes from time to time, but even when he is making mistakes, Hines is making them at 100% speed and intensity. Hines is the player the coaches should be singling out for how all of the players should be playing.
7. Todd Boeckman is a class act ~ For anyone in Ohio Stadium that booed Boeckman when he threw incomplete to Brian Hartline, I am embarassed for you. Boeckman has taken his demotion with complete class and was the first person to greet Terrelle Pryor off the field after Pryor threw his first touchdown pass. Remember this - at some point this season, Ohio State will NEED Todd Boeckman to come in for Terrelle Pryor. Won't you be happy that the backup quarterback led the Big Ten in passing efficiency a season ago and was 13-3 as a starter?

Minnesota comes into Ohio Stadium next Saturday at 12pm EST with an undefeated record. While I believe Ohio State will defeat Minnesota, I can only hope Ohio State will address some, if not all, of the critical areas I listed above.

Ohio State/Troy analysis from The Columbus Dispatch

I found this preview from today's Columbus Dispatch and thought it gave a good analysis of what to look for in today's Ohio State/Troy match-up. Enjoy.

A Look Back At Ohio State QBs: 1978-2008

I found this article by Dave Biddle of Bucknuts and it takes a good and fair look at Ohio State quarterbacks, going back to the last time Ohio State started a true freshman at quarterback by the name of Art Schlichter. I enjoyed it and hope you will too.

Game Four: Ohio State vs Troy

Game Four: Troy Trojans

Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH)

Head Coach: Larry Blakeney

Troy Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: N/A. Troy does not have anyone on their roster that was actively recruited by Ohio State.

Scouting Report: This report is going to be a little different from some of the others that I have previously written for this season, as I have not seen any footage of Troy's two previous opponents (Middle Tennessee, Alcorn State). One of the scouting commandments I learned from the late great Tony Razzano years ago before I landed my internship with the Redskins is that a scout never comments on a player or team unless they have seen it themselves. Put it another way - I can only go by what I see.

Troy has developed a reputation for not only playing big-time opponents tough, but also for productive offenses that can score lots of points. While Troy can score points, Troy also gives up lots of points. If this game turns into a shoot-out, as Troy would like it to, that could make for an anxious day for Ohio State.

I will remind people that months ago I wrote that this game could be a trap for Ohio State. Considering how Troy beat Oklahoma State last year, and played Arkansas and Georgia tough until losing, leads me to emphasize that Troy will NOT be intimidated coming into Ohio Stadium to play the Buckeyes.

The wild card in this whole equation that cannot be determined until game time is what is the mental state of Ohio State after the beating they sustained at the hands of USC last weekend? Will Ohio State rebound after this loss, or will their season possibly go into the tank?

Coach Tressel is adding intrigue to the whole situation with the announcement that QB Terrelle Pryor will have equal playing time with senior QB and team captain Todd Boeckman. Considering Pryor's mobility adds another dimension to Ohio State's offense that seemed to spark Ohio State last week against USC, it would not surprise me if Pryor gets the start to not only energize the restless fan base who will be in the stadium, but also energize the team and send a message to Todd Boeckman that he needs to elevate his play.

Chris Wells will not play against Troy, which is only adding to the speculation that his injury is much worse than originally diagnosed. Rumors of a possible medical redshirt are becoming more and more common when Chris Wells' name is mentioned.

Prediction: I believe Ohio State is going to come out with something to prove to its fans. Knowing the national championship is beyond their reach, the seniors will devote the remainder of their final season to winning the Big Ten and earning a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Behind closed doors, I can only suspect that the coaches have been stinging their players' pride, announcing that all jobs are open, and challenging them to get Ohio State back to a position of respect amongst the college football community. This is going to be the beginning of the Terrelle Pryor era at Ohio State.I'm going to say Ohio State 35, Troy 14.

Ohio State's Focus Now? The Rose Bowl

As painful as the USC 35-3 loss is, I remember a few quick things as it relates to relatively recent Ohio State history:
1. The last time Ohio State scored as few points was in 1993 when they blew a chance at the Big Ten title and the Rose Bowl and lost to Michigan 28-0.
2. This was the worst defeat for Ohio State since Penn State absolutely crushed them in Happy Valley in 1994 63-14. (Yes, SEC fans - Ohio State was defeated even worse by a Big Ten opponent, and it was not for the BCS Championship.)

OK, we have those cathartic statements out of the way. Let's get down to what Ohio State can do in the immediate future, and long-term, to prevent these types of further embarassments on the national stage. As an Ohio State fan, I would rank this loss to USC the MOST embarassing in terms of the national focus or stage, considering Ohio State was never in this game. The Florida loss in the 2007 BCS Championship Game ranks second, then last year's loss to LSU would rank third. But again, I am only one Ohio State fan, and I am sure there are differing opinions.

Short Term: Involve Terrelle Pryor more and more with the starting offense. While Todd Boeckman may have the best knowledge and understanding of the offense, the reality of the situation is that Ohio State coaches, players, and fans have now seen what Todd Boeckman can and cannot do talent-wise. While Terrelle Pryor needs a lot of work with his passing motion and check-offs in the passing game, Pryor's athletic skills are obvious and can truly help to spark the team. It would be in the team's best interests to see how well Pryor can do against upcoming opponents Troy and Minnesota before the next big game on the schedule, at Wisconsin at night on October 4th. Focus on preparing for the future now, rather than later.

Short Term: Focus On Winning The Outright Big Ten Championship. While many members of the media focused on how many of the Ohio State seniors returned to contend for the national championship this year, the reality even prior to this shellacking by USC was that the BCS Championship Game was an event largely outside of the Ohio State senior players' control; in a championship environment that is determined by a vote, who can say who will play for the title, even if someone winds up undefeated? But I digress. What is still within the control of this team is to win The Big Ten as the outright champion for the third consecutive year. NO team in Big Ten history has ever won The Big Ten as an outright champion for three years in a row. This challenge falls exclusively on the senior leadership of this team. Ohio State cannot play for the BCS Championship this year, but there is no reason why Ohio State cannot do everything from here on out to win the Big Ten's berth to The Rose Bowl.

Intermediate To Long Term: Adjust The Scheduling Philosophy. I have addressed this issue extensively before, and I can only hope that others are slowly but surely coming to my side of this argument. No more cupcakes like Youngstown State, Ohio University, Kent State, etc, on the schedule. While I understand why Ohio State wants/needs to have as many home games as possible, Ohio State needs to play tough opponents prior to The Big Ten schedule for reasons that the entire nation witnessed tonight. Ohio State should be scheduling teams such as West Virginia, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame (for geographic purposes), 1 MAC team (AND ONLY 1 MAC team), 1 "tough" non-conference team (such as USC, or in future years, Miami (FL), California, Oklahoma, etc), and another Big Ten team.

Intermediate To Long Term: Bring In An Offensive Coordinator. Offensive line coach Jim Bollman also serves as the offensive coordinator, with Coach Tressel serving as the unofficial play caller on game days. It would be in the program's best long-term interests to bring back Walt Harris as the offensive coordinator, as Ohio State's offensive formations, attack, and general approach are just completely devoid of any creativity or aggressive tendencies. At worst, Harris could develop the passing game philosophies, with Bollman and Tressel focused on the running game philosophies.

Intermediate To Long Term: I would contend a major piece of the puzzle that has been missing to Ohio State's success is Coach Mark Dantonio, who was the defensive coordinator for the first three years in Coach Tressel's tenure and is now leading Michigan State. Coach Dantonio's defenses did not consistently apply pressure, but could pressure and force turnovers much more frequently since he left for the Cincinnati job back after the 2003 season. While he just arrived at Notre Dame, a welcome return would be for Coach Jon Tenuta as the defensive coordinator. Tenuta's aggressive, blitzing styles that have served him well at Georgia Tech and now at Notre Dame would be comparable to what Ohio State offenses have seen by blitzing defenses such as Florida, LSU, and now USC.

While it would be understandable for Ohio State fans to wallow in self-pity after being demolished by USC, this game only serves as one loss. Troy will be in Columbus next weekend with little to no concern about the mental state of Ohio State coaches, players, or fans. It will be interesting to see how Coach Tressel, his assistants, and the senior captains regroup after this big loss as Ohio State prepares for The Big Ten starting with Minnesota on September 27th.

Tressel Doing The Right Thing With Chris Wells For USC

As much as I would like Chris Wells to play tonight against USC, Coach Tressel's decision to hold Chris Wells out of this game is in Chris Wells' best long-term interests. Considering that Chris Wells was not ruled out by the team's medical staff for the game, Tressel had to weigh Chris Wells' possible NFL career versus tonight's long-awaited showdown with USC. What if Tressel played Chris Wells and Chris Wells further injured his foot to the point where long-term damage had been sustained?

From a psychological/motivational standpoint, I look at this scenario in the following fashion - at the very least, Ohio State players have known for the last few days there was a real possibility that Chris Wells would not be playing in this game. By that mindset, the team has been practicing without Chris Wells and should be prepared for this situation.

If Chris Wells had first sustained this injury against USC in the manner that he did against Youngstown State, the psychological effects, I believe, would be far worse than they are presently. At least Ohio State coaches, players, and fans have had some time to prepare for the possibility (now reality) that Chris Wells would not be available for this game.

Is it possible Coach Tressel is sandbagging on this topic? Could Chris Wells suddenly come off the bench, due to some miraculous medical treatment? Anything is possible, but highly doubtful. Ohio State will now turn to redshirt freshman Daniel "Boom" Herron to assume the bulk of the running load, and I look for QB Terrelle Pryor to be a greater part of the Ohio State game plan for USC.

Another USC Prediction

Well, at least nobody can call me an Ohio State homer with my prediction that I posted last night. Anyway, here's a prediction from collegefootballnews.com that is pretty close to mine, except for the final outcome. Enjoy.

Game Three: Ohio State vs. USC

Game Three: USC Trojans

Location: Los Angeles Coliseum (Los Angeles, CA)

Head Coach: Pete Carroll

USC Players Who Were Recruited By Ohio State: OL Jeff Byers, C Kristofer O’Dowd, QB Mark Sanchez, RB Broderick Green, FL Ronald Johnson, TE Blake Ayles, LB Brian Cushing


USC Rushing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: USC has an abundance of running backs who were high school All-Americans. While USC has players who are versatile as both runners and receivers (Joe McKnight, Marc Tyler), USC also has players who can pound the ball between the tackles (Stafon Johnson, CJ Gable). It will be imperative that Ohio State’s defensive line and the linebackers shut down the USC running game, or it will truly be a long day for Ohio State. A critical area to see is if USC tries to isolate RB Joe McKnight on LBs Marcus Freeman or Ross Homan as a receiver out of the backfield. Considering the speed advantage USC has in this area, Ohio State may try to play a nickel defense with LB Jermale Hines as a coverage linebacker more than a traditional 4-3 look.
Edge: USC

USC Passing Offense vs Ohio State Defense: USC QB Mark Sanchez is a former high school All-American who has more mobility than other USC quarterbacks from the recent past, such as Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, or John David Booty. Despite Sanchez’s dislocated kneecap in the summer, Sanchez showed no ill effects in the USC’s opening victory over Virginia. This will be Sanchez’s fifth career start for USC. WRs Ronald Johnson, Patrick Turner, Vidal Hazelton, and Damian Williams all have good speed and size and should have an advantage compared to the Ohio State secondary. Ohio State welcomes back CB Donald Washington and S Jamario O’Neal from suspension, but how ready are they to play in a game of this magnitude? CB Malcolm Jenkins can play opposite off one of the receivers, but CB Chimdi Chekwa will need some assistance from either S Anderson Russell or S Kurt Coleman. Will Mark Sanchez be able to isolate or find the one on one matchups? Another key area to see is how well the relatively inexperienced USC offensive line (one returning starter) protects Mark Sanchez from the Ohio State defensive line, especially DE Lawrence Wilson. In order for Ohio State to stay in this game, Ohio State will need to get good pressure on Mark Sanchez, and that will mean more blitzing than Ohio State has shown in the first two games this season. USC likes to roll out Sanchez, so Ohio State needs to get pressure on Sanchez quickly.
Edge: USC

Ohio State Rushing Offense vs USC Defense: All Ohio State fans could think of when Chris Wells went down in game one versus Youngstown State was, “Will Chris Wells be ready and able to play against USC?!?”. After the horrific rushing performance Ohio State had against Ohio University in game two, Ohio State fans can only hope that Chris Wells will be able to go against USC. With the news that Chris Wells is listed as doubtful, I believe Daniel “Boom” Herron will become the primary ball carrier for Ohio State. The USC defensive strategy will be very simple, regardless of whether Chris Wells plays or not – continually blitz and rush upfield to disrupt the Ohio State offense. Besides Chris Wells, it will be important for the other Ohio State RBs, especially Daniel “Boom” Herron, to be used in the running game on screen passes, traps, and other quick hitting plays that will hopefully slow down the USC defensive front. The Ohio State offensive line has to play immensely better than they did against Ohio University. A possible look for QB Terrelle Pryor is to run the option, something Pryor did a little against Youngstown State. Pryor’s speed getting to the outside will be needed against USC. USC DL Fili Moala is projected as a top NFL draft choice and will be very difficult to move off the line of scrimmage at 295 lbs. LB Rey Maualuga is an explosive hitter and Brian Cushing plays a hybrid DE/OLB position for USC. Both will be blitzing a lot for USC and are projected as high NFL draft choices next spring.
Big Edge: USC

Ohio State Passing Offense vs USC Defense: If Ohio State fans felt that Florida’s defense was fast in the 2007 BCS Championship Game, they better be prepared for what USC will be showing against Ohio State. USC DE Everson Griffen versus OT Alex Boone will be one of the key matchups of the game. If Boone is struggling against Griffin, it will require Ohio State leaving RB Chris Wells in to help with blitz pickups to give QB Todd Boeckman time to throw. USC S Taylor Mays has linebacker size and is extremely fast. The USC secondary is the fastest in the country and will be able to lock up WRs Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline. Both Hartline and Robiskie played poorly against Ohio University with dropped passes and have a chance to redeem themselves with this game against USC. Todd Boeckman has shown a tendency to get happy feet in the pocket when teams apply pressure. To counter the USC defensive speed, Ohio State should go to a four or five wideout front, with Boom Herron in the backfield, splitting out RB Brandon Saine, who has exceptional speed, as a receiver out of the backfield. This will open up the Ohio State running game, while also giving Todd Boeckman opportunities to quickly use the passing game. USC is too good for Ohio State to continually line up in their traditional power I-Formation; Ohio State will not be able to consistently get something generated offensively if they stay in traditional formations. WR Ray Small will be critical as an extra wide receiver for Ohio State, as he has the best speed of the experienced Ohio State wide receivers.
Edge: USC

Special Teams: Ohio State’s special teams were instrumental in the victory over Ohio University. CB Shaun Lane recovered a fumbled punt that led to a go-ahead Ohio State touchdown in the fourth quarter, and WR Ray Small returned a punt for a touchdown to seal the victory over Ohio University, despite a block in the back by LB Austin Spitler during the return that was not called. In the first two games, both Ryan Pretorious and Aaron Pettrey have been successful with long field goals. It will be important for Ohio State to score when they have the ball – while Ohio State needs to score touchdowns, it will also be important for Ohio State to put at least three points on the board when they can.
USC’s return game is very dangerous, with Joe McKnight and Ronald Johnson back as return options for the Trojans. Considering the emphasis and affinity Coach Tressel has for special teams, I would not be surprised if P A.J. Trapasso is instructed to kick the ball out of bounds to eliminate any possible threats of good punt returns by USC.
Slight Edge: Ohio State

Intangibles: Ohio State has not played a regular season game against USC since 1990 (a 35-26 USC win in a driving rainstorm in Ohio Stadium) and has not met USC in The Rose Bowl since after the 1984 season. The last time Ohio State went into the Los Angeles Coliseum to play USC was 1989, and they were absolutely demolished by USC, 42-3. Ohio State has lost the last five times they have played USC.

In the Pete Carroll era, USC has not lost a regular season game to a high profile ranked opponent. Considering USC has played series with teams such as Arkansas, Nebraska, and their usual non-conference rivalry game with Notre Dame, USC will not be intimidated with Ohio State coming into their stadium.

While Ohio State fans are proud of the accomplishments of Jim Tressel, USC fans can legitimately argue that Pete Carroll is the best college football coach in the nation. Want facts? Here are some facts – USC’s record over the last six years is 71-8. They have won 38 of their last 39 at home. They have beaten 12 top 20 teams by at least three touchdowns. They have finished in the top 4 rankings every season since 2002.

In previous years, usually against Michigan, Coach Jim Tressel has shown a willingness to unveil different offensive formations or plays that have not been seen. One can only hope that Ohio State has deliberately held back offensively during the first two games and has developed some new ideas for this big game against USC. The player I believe will be critical in this game for Ohio State is RB Brandon Saine. Saine has battled a hamstring injury, and has not shown much in the first two games, but Saine could be used extensively as a receiver out of the backfield in this game. Even though QB Terrelle Pryor is a true freshman, I have a suspicion that Pryor is going to be used more in this game than most people are expecting.
Edge: USC

Prediction:

Ohio State cannot win the national championship with this game against USC, but they can certainly lose it with a loss to the Trojans. The college football world is not so secretly wishing for USC to defeat Ohio State, thus eliminating Ohio State from any consideration for the BCS Championship Game in January 2009.

For the Ohio State players, this is a “Us Against The World” opportunity. Ohio State can either rise to the occasion, showing their performance against Ohio University last week was merely Ohio State looking past Ohio University for USC, or Ohio State will succumb to the pressure of this big game and prove their numerous critics right with a loss to USC.

The first quarter is the key for Ohio State’s success. If Ohio State can keep the game close, keeping USC’s offense on the sideline while maintaining time-consuming drives that end in points, Ohio State can win this game. If USC jumps out to a quick lead, as they did against Virginia in their first game, forcing Ohio State to throw the ball more than they want to, it could open up the floodgates for a USC rout of Ohio State.

While I believe Ohio State’s talent can and will keep them in the game, I also believe that USC’s traditional home dominance and exceptional defensive speed will be the difference in a closely fought, low-scoring battle. I am going to predict the final will be USC 24, Ohio State 10, with USC scoring a touchdown in the 4th quarter to put this one away.

Game Two Review: Ohio University

Considering I missed the first part of the Ohio University game, I felt that The OZone's Tony Gerdeman's review would be a better analysis and certainly more humorous than anything I could possibly attempt. Enjoy, especially his review of the wide receivers around 1:08.

My quick thoughts:

On a scale of 1-10, I give Ohio State a 4. For those who prefer a different grading scale, I give Ohio State a D-. A win's nice, but USC would have drilled Ohio State by 30 points with the performance Ohio State gave against Ohio University.

Look out for Penn State in the Big Ten. I thought they would defeat Oregon State, but not that easily.

On a philosophical note ~ If Michigan and Notre Dame play next week, and they both are horrible, will anyone watch? Michigan defeated my alma mater Miami University, but struggled to do so. Notre Dame had to rally to defeat San Diego State.

The new probable BCS buster team: East Carolina, led by Skip Holtz. Earlier this week, Beano Cook of ESPN said that Holtz, a ND graduate, will put a ND escape clause in his next contract in case the ND job comes open.

Game Two: Ohio State vs Ohio University

Opponent: Ohio University Bobcats

Coach: Frank Solich

Location: Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH)

Players Recruited By Ohio State: N/A. There are no players on the Ohio University roster that were actively recruited by Ohio State.

Ohio University's rushing offense vs Ohio State defense: Ohio University traditionally likes to run the ball, considering Coach Frank Solich's Nebraska background. Surprisingly, Ohio University only ran for 39 yards last week against Wyoming. Ohio State's interior defensive linemen are probably the biggest concern area for the defensive unit. Last week, Ohio State completely stuffed Youngstown State, but they will be facing a better, but not much better, offensive unit this game.

Edge: Ohio State

Ohio University's passing offense vs Ohio State defense: Even with Coach Solich's background, Ohio University is not afraid to put the ball in the air. QB Theo Scott has more game experience than last week's Youngstown State quarterbacks and has two speedy wide receivers in Taylor Price and LaVon Brazill. With Ohio State's secondary still adjusting to the suspensions of CB Donald Washington and S Jamario O'Neal, plus the return of S Kurt Coleman, this should be a better test for the Ohio State secondary. It will be important for Ohio State's pass rush to put pressure on Scott.

Slight Edge: Ohio State

Ohio State's rushing offense vs Ohio University defense: In case you were vacationing on Pluto, an Ohio State RB by the name of Chris Wells sustained an injury that will keep him sidelined for this game against Ohio University. Fortunately for Ohio State, they have three other tailbacks (Maurice Wells, Brandon Saine, Daniel "Boom" Herron) who will divide the work among them and should be able to each get at least 15 carries if Coach Jim Tressel is to be believed from his pre-game media discussions. Ohio University gave up 160 yards rushing to Wyoming last week, so here's an opportunity for Ohio State to control the game. QB Terrelle Pryor will also probably use the option even more than last week, just to give the USC Trojans something else to prepare for on September 13th.

Big Edge: Ohio State

Ohio State's passing offense vs Ohio University defense: QB Todd Boeckman had a decent game last week against Youngstown State, with about a half's worth of playing time. I am looking for more of the same type of activity, perhaps more, as Boeckman will need to play at his best on September 13th against USC. WR Brian Robiskie sustained a minor shoulder injury but should be ready to go against Ohio University, and WRs Brian Hartline, DeVier Posey, and Lamaar Thomas all played last week as well. WR Dane Sanzenbacher took a big hit that looked like he was woozy afterwards in the Youngstown State game, but he should be good to go against Ohio University. The strongest part of Ohio University's defense is its secondary, which finished 2nd in the MAC for pass defense ratings. This will be an interesting area to watch how these two squads compete.

Slight Edge: Ohio State

Special Teams: Ohio University has a nationally ranked return unit, whereas Ohio State is definitely looking to improve in this area from last season. Ohio University returned a kickoff for a touchdown last week against Wyoming. Ohio State did have a strong game with field goals last week against Youngstown State.

Slight Edge: Ohio University

Intangibles: Former Nebraska head coach Frank Solich has done a good job of making Ohio University competitive within the MAC. Solich and his staff do a solid job of identifying Ohio talent and will have their team ready to play against Ohio State. Considering how tough Ohio University played last week to Wyoming, I do not believe Ohio University will be intimidated coming into Ohio Stadium.

From an Ohio University perspective, how many of the players on the team truly believe Ohio State made a mistake in not recruiting them? Here is a big psychological edge that Ohio University has in a game such as this.

On the Ohio State side, this is a game that the Ohio State coaching staff truly hates, as they have to worry about their team overlooking Ohio University and forward to the big game against USC on September 13th. The longer this game stays in doubt, the more Ohio University believes they can pull off an upset. Remember - Ohio University played Ohio State tough back in 1999 for the first half until Ohio State eventually pulled away.

Big Edge: Ohio University

Prediction: I have said this before, and I will say it again ~ while I understand the rationale for Ohio State playing an in-state MAC team, this should be the ONLY game of this type that appears on Ohio State's schedule. Playing Ohio University the week after Youngstown State only reinforces the "Ohio State plays nobody" mantra that is going throughout the college football world nowadays.

I look for this game to move quickly, due to the heavy Ohio State emphasis on the running game. I will also predict that Coach Tressel will not run up the score, as that is not his style. I will say Ohio State 35, Ohio 7.

ESPN widget added & Jeff Sagarin's rankings, week one

If you recall, I am not a big fan of our current ranking system and would dramatically alter how our college football champion would be crowned. That being repeated, I have linked Jeff Sagarin's rankings after the first week of competition.



If you scroll down, you'll see Ohio State is ranked but has a woeful schedule rank after the first week. Luckily for Ohio State, that schedule ranking will only improve once they get past playing Youngstown State and Ohio University to play USC on September 13th. And another positive...Oklahoma's strength of schedule is actually worse than Ohio State's is this week.



Another change to the blog...you will see I have added a widget from ESPN.com for Ohio State on the side of the blog. Enjoy.

Some Quick Thoughts From The Opening Weekend

First of all, thanks to those of you who sent me updates on the Ohio State - Youngstown State game while I was out of town for my cousin Diane's wedding (congrats again, Diane and Jim. Uncle John and Aunt Lenore, thank you again for a wonderful time!). I was well aware that Ohio State was up 26-0 for the first half, and that's when Diane's & Jim's wedding ceremony began. With my BlackBerry securely in my suit jacket pocket, I did not know about Chris Wells' injury until after the ceremony - there's something to be said for looking and seeing 30 messages saying something to the effect of "WELLS IS HURT".



That leads me to my first question - WHY was Chris Wells even in the game after the first half? Ohio State was already up comfortably. I realize that Chris Wells' injury was not contact-related, and that it could have happened on any play, but the fact that Wells was in against Youngstown State with the game well in hand bothers me.

There has been no new information as to the extent of Chris Wells' injury. X-Rays were negative, and Coach Tressel made a comment that the injury is not turf toe. My biggest fear is that Chris Wells may have ruptured his Achilles tendon, but considering he was walking on it, I doubt that is the case. Probably the best thing Chris Wells can do for this injury is attend rehab sessions and rest, which will inevitably be the case this coming weekend against Ohio University.

Of course, the debut of Terrelle Pryor has been completely overshadowed by Chris Wells' injury. Looking at highlights (thank you Time Warner for finally getting me The Big Ten Network), the option will once again become a staple of Ohio State's offense whenever Pryor is in the game.

Other Big Ten musings ~

I realize that one game does not a season make, but so far, Michigan has demonstrated what I predicted. I truly do not believe that the average Michigan fan understands how difficult a transition it will be for Michigan to adjust to Rich Rodriguez's offense this year. I believe Michigan will win over my alma mater, but I do not believe Miami (OH) will be blown out as they were against Vanderbilt. Look for Rodriguez to give Steven Threet the starting QB job against Miami (OH) as he seemed to do better than Nick Sheridan.

Penn State crushed Coastal Carolina (as expected), but it should be interesting this coming weekend against Oregon State. Penn State's other two non-conference games are against Syracuse and Temple, so Penn State should be 4-0 heading into Big Ten play.

Minnesota has already equaled its 2007 win total with its win over Northern Illinois. Considering how Bowling Green has already put Pitt's Dave Wannstedt on the hot seat with its victory on Saturday, this should be a good one to watch. I won't be surprised if BG defeats Minnesota.

Wisconsin defeated Akron on Saturday, and gets Marshall this coming week. Wisconsin should be 2-0 before its big game at Fresno State on September 13th.

Iowa looked impressive thrashing Maine (Big Ten Network rerun last night). Iowa gets Florida International, so they should be 2-0 after this weekend as well.

Indiana handled Western Kentucky, and they get Murray State this weekend. Another cupcake opponent, and another Big Ten team at 2-0.

Props to Michigan State for playing Cal tough. Michigan State will be in the win column after this weekend's game against Eastern Michigan.

Northwestern handled Syracuse, which came as no surprise. Northwestern plays @ Duke, who defeated them last season. I look for Northwestern to win this one.

Finally, Purdue kicks off its season with Northern Colorado. Purdue should be 1-0 after this one.

Keep your fingers crossed for a healthy Chris Wells come September 13th. Even with Wells, that game against USC looks like a huge challenge for Ohio State.